56- Changing Seasons

Late Summer

Marron walked down the halls of Saibogu's castle quietly. It was hard to believe that this was the same castle from her childhood. Growing up, the marble walls and floors and been dull and dingy. Now, they shined brightly. Maids and butlers who used to hurry by, their eyes focused on the floor, too afraid to make eye contact, now smiled brightly and greeted her cheerfully.

It had only been a few weeks since Kage's death at the claws of Kalamity. For the first time, Marron saw Saibogu thriving thanks to the help of Vegeta-Sei and the Earth. She had been fearful that there would be rebellions from would-be followers of Kage and her mother. To Marron's pleasant surprise, there weren't any. They were so grateful to be freed from the cruel monarchs that they rejoiced.

Many of the androids on Saibogu, including the new king, had wanted Marron to take the throne. But she couldn't. She no longer felt as if she belonged on Saibogu. Her place was somewhere else. A place with green grass, tall trees, beautiful and colorful flowers, and a never-ending blue sky.

Marron walked into the throne room and smiled at the new king. She had known him since she was a child. He was one of Dr. Gero's first creations, but he had been dubbed as weak since he didn't care much for fighting. He liked nature, animals, and learning. She had spent hours upon hours talking to him in secret when she was a child with her father. Her mother never approved of him, claiming that his way of thinking was weak. That's how Marron knew he would make the perfect king for Saibogu.

"Marron," his slow and deep voice greeted her. His blue eyes welcomed her, kindly.

"Hi," she bowed her head slightly in greeting. "I was just coming to say goodbye. Gohan and I will be leaving within the hour."

Gohan had stayed with Marron during the last several weeks as she brought order to Saibogu. If she hadn't already been in love with him before, she was now. He was so kind and understanding. He treated the androids of Saibogu with respect. He had been her rock through everything with her family.

"Ah," the king frowned slightly. "You will visit, won't you?"

"Of course," she promised with a nod. "But I'll be seeing you this fall at the summit, correct? Saibogu will be there, won't you?" She asked, hopefully. She had hoped that with a new leader, her home planet could finally be apart of the summit.

"You can count on it," he nodded. "Anything you stand with, you can count on Saibogu to back you up. We are honored to be apart of the alliance. You've done well, Marron. Your Dad would be proud of you."

Marron blinked back her tears. Her lips trembled as she hugged the tall man tightly. "Thank you, Sixteen," she whispered.

Bulla sat on a ledge of a window that looked out across the castle gardens. Down below, Pan sat on a blanket, trying her best to knit coats for Takara and Takehiko for the upcoming winter. It seemed to be a challenge for her because a horse-sized dragon kept wanting to play with the yarn.

"Go play with Trunks and the babies," Bulla heard Pan sigh at Kalamity.

He rushed over a few feet away where Trunks was lying in the grass with Takara and Takehiko playing. Crescent was beside Pan on the blanket, napping.

Bulla smiled down at Whirlwind, who was lying on the floor under the window. She and Tremor had grown right after the other two. Whirlwind was about the size of Crescent, and Tremor was just slightly bigger than them, though not as big as Kalamity.

Laughing from bellow caught Bulla's attention, and she watched as Takara and Takehiko crawled over to Pan. Trunks and Kalamity were right behind them, and soon they were all on the grass laughing.

Something happened that caused Pan to squeal loudly. "Did you hear that, Trunks?! He said, 'mama'!" She held up Takehiko. "Say, 'Mama'!"

Soon, not only Takehiko was saying it, but so was Takara. Pan was crying, and Trunks was laughing. They looked so happy.

Bulla couldn't believe how big the twins were getting. It seemed like it was just the other day they were born, and now they were starting to talk. They would be walking soon.

Babies were always something Bulla was cautious about. It wasn't that she disliked them. They just made her nervous because she had never been around them growing up.

The twins had changed that. Bulla felt more confident in herself. Now that things finally seemed peaceful, the thought of having a child with Goten sent flutters in her stomach.

Bulla got up from the ledge and stretched. "Come on, Winny," she called to Whirlwind. "Let's go find the boys."

It didn't take them long because Goten and Tremor almost crashed into them. Goten laughed as he caught Bulla and pecked her lips. His clothes were ruffled, and she knew that he had been wrestling with Tremor.

"What are you girls up to?" Goten asked. "Tremor and I were just checking out some new moves, right, Buddy?"

Bulla looked down at Tremor, but he was too busy nuzzling against Whirlwind to care that Goten had spoken to him. She giggled as she looked back up at Goten, who grinned and shrugged.

"Goten, let's have a baby."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Like a real baby?" He raised an eyebrow.

Bulla had to stifle her giggles. "Yes, a real baby. One we have to make," she said as she placed her hands on his chest.

Goten's eyes were still wide. His cheeks were dusting pink, and Bulla could feel his heart pounding her hands. He had confessed to her before they had gotten married that he wanted kids one day. He knew how she felt, though, so he never rushed her and promised to wait until she was ready.

"Okay," Goten grinned.

He looked down at Whirlwind and Tremor, who were still at their feet and looking up at them now. Whirlwind seemed to understand the situation. She turned around and started walking off. Tremor was clueless. He stat at their feet, wagging his tail as a dog would. It wasn't until Whirlwind walked back up and gently grabbed one of Tremor's ears in her mouth and pulled him that he got up.

"Now," Goten placed a hand on Bulla's hip and brought her close to him with a grin. "Let's go," he said before disappearing them away.

Early Fall

Pan woke up to the soft babbling of her children. She peeked her eyes open and met Trunks'. Takehiko and Takara are between them, chatting in their baby talk. They could only say a few words, like Mama and Appa.

"How long have you been up?" Pan asked Trunks softly.

"Not long," he replied with a gentle smile. "I heard these two chatting away in the nursery, so I brought them in here."

There was a tug at the end of the bed, and Pan glanced down to see Kalamity and Crescent curling up together at the end of the bed.

Trunks snorted. "He only stays small so he can get on the bed."

Pan giggled and nodded her head. Kalamity had surprised everyone just a week ago with the revelation that he could change his size at will. All four dragons could do it. They learned quickly that the best size for them inside the castle was small. They are all about the size of border collies now, a size they seemed to like best.

Trunks sat up on his elbow and leaned over the twins to kiss Pan. "Happy birthday, Panna."

"Thank you," she gave him a quick peck of her own before he leaned back down. "Do you remember my sixteenth birthday?" She asked him. It was hard to believe that it was four years ago.

Trunks smirked, "when I snuck into the party to dance with you?"

Pan grinned, "that was like a dream. That was the first birthday after we met ."

Trunks sighed, "I was already in love with you by then."

"Awh, really?" Pan's grin widened.

"I didn't admit it to myself, but looking back, I know I was. I was so smitten with you- I still am," he smirked.

"Me too," Pan nodded. "I'll be swooning over you until we die," she teased with a wink.

Trunks laughed, "that sounds like a promise."

Early Winter

Marron shivered as she walked through the castle. Winters on earth always got so cold, but it was beautiful, the way the world changed.

The castle was usually quiet. No maids were dusting or cleaning. Goku and Chi-Chi went back and forth between earth and Vegeta-Sei, and they weren't there. Goten and Bulla often visited, as did Trunks, Pan, and the twins. Marron saw no one- not even Gohan.

Marron frowned to herself as she wondered where everyone had gone off to. She used to be accustomed to silence and loneliness, but she wasn't anymore.

In front of the door leading out to the gardens stood a maid. She smiled when she spotted Marron and held up a beautiful pink cape.

"Lady Marron, His Majesty, is outside waiting for you."

Marron's eyes widened. Gohan had gone outside? When? "He is? Has he been waiting long?"

"No, My Lady," the maid shook her head. "His Majesty just went out. He said you would be right behind him."

Marron smiled as the maid helped her put on the cape. "Thank you!" She called to the maid as she dashed out into the garden.

Marron gasped as she walked out. It had snowed sometime throughout the day. The ground was covered with a white blanket of snow. Strings of lights had been hung up for the Yule. The golden lights shined in a design that created a path to go deeper into the garden.

The air was chilly as Marron followed the path, but everything looked so beautiful that she didn't mind the cold too much. At the end of the trail, Gohan stood waiting for her. He laughed and cupped her cold cheeks as he raised his Ki to warm them up.

Marron's grinned as she placed her cold hands over his to warm them up too. She could feel her whole body growing warm at just being by him. "I didn't know it had snowed."

"It started this morning and stopped about an hour ago. I thought you might like to see it," Gohan smiled at her.

"Thank you. It's beautiful," she removed his hands from her cheeks and held them in front of her as she looked back to see the snow. "You know, I had never seen snow before until I moved here. It doesn't snow on Saibogu. I'm glad it does here; it's one of my favorite things about the earth."

"Me too," Gohan smiled. "What are your other favorite things about the earth?"

Marron looked at him curiously, and he just grinned. "I like the blue skies," she said. "And the fluffy clouds in them that form all kinds of shapes. I love how there are so many different flowers when it's springtime and how bees buzz. The food here is amazing and so different from the bland food I grew up eating. But my absolute favorite thing about the earth is you," she confessed with warm cheeks. "You're my favorite thing, Gohan."

"You're mine too," he told her. He let go of her hands and scratched the back of his head- a sign that he was nervous about something.

"Is everything okay?" She asked softly.

"Marron, I know that technically we haven't been together for long," Gohan said gently. "But we've been through a lot already. I know you're by my side now, like this, but I would like- I mean, I hope that you don't think that I'm rushing you or anything! I just-"

"Gohan," Marron interrupted his rambling. She smiled at him softly as her heart thudded against her chest. "Yes."

Gohan's eyes widened in surprise. "Yes?" He repeated slowly.

"Mhm," she confirmed with a nod as she grinned.

Gohan let out a small breath before he laughed. He had her in his arms within seconds as he pressed his lips against hers.

Early Spring

Pan smiled as she watched Gohan and Marron dancing. Their wedding had been beautiful. The smiles that had lit up Gohan and Marron's faces were contagious. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits.

Pan glanced around the room to look at her family and friends. Her Mama was sitting at a table, weeping as her Papa did his best to comfort her. Bulma and Vegeta were also seated at the table. Bulma was trying to comfort her friend, but Vegeta seemed more interested in the food.

At another table, Bulla sat as her hand rubbed her swollen stomach. She was just a little over halfway through her pregnancy, and Pan was excited to meet her little niece that was due to arrive in the summer. Goten sat down with plates next to Bulla, whose face lit up at the sight of food. Endou and Kimi were also sitting at the table. They were hunched together, whispering about something. Pan had a feeling that their wedding wasn't that far off.

Yamcha and Tarble sat nearby. They were watching Takehiko and Takara at the moment. Pan smiled as she watched her children eat happily. They could say a lot more words now, and they were walking all over the place! They were growing up too fast.

"You know, I'm kinda bummed," Trunks sighed as he stepped up next to Pan.

She glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?" She asked curiously.

"Marron and Gohan have a chocolate fountain-" he motioned to the side where the fountain stood. "We didn't have one at our wedding," he frowned.

"We got married on Vegeta-Sei," Pan's lips twitched. "This is the Earth. A chocolate fountain or not, our wedding was wonderful."

"Mh," Trunks nodded in agreement as he smiled. "Remembering you in that white dress that day-" he sighed dreamily as he clutched his chest.

"You know, I still have that dress," Pan winked at him.

Trunks' eyes widened slightly as he let out a breath. "The twins are going to bed early tonight," he promised as Pan laughed.

Mid Summer

Goku had to contain his laughter. It was always interesting watching the kids train and play with the dragons, but this was by far the most entertaining a session had been.

As always, Pan was having trouble with Kalamity. He never seemed to do as she asked. She would tell him to sit, and he would roll over. She would asks him to grow, and he'd shrink.

Today, he was bigger than a horse, and Pan was attempting to ride him. The keyword being attempt. Kalamity wouldn't even let her climb onto him. He seemed to think it was a game. Every time Pan got close to being on him, he would move and chirp at her as if he were laughing.

No one else seemed to be having problems. Crescent was currently letting Trunks brush her, and she quickly did all the tasks he asked. Tremor was getting his paws cleaned by Goten after he had dug through the mud earlier. Bulla wasn't doing any training since she was holding her and Goten's newborn daughter, Ichika, in her arms. She sat on a bench under the shade with Whirlwind at her feet.

"Ugh!" Pan threw her head back in frustration. She pressed her forehead against Kalamity's. "Why are you the way you are?" She asked him desperately.

Kalamity gave a small rumble from his throat.

Pan sighed loudly before she kissed the dragon's snout. He perked up instantly and chirped. Goku snickered and shook his head. Pan huffed at Kalamity a lot, but she loved him dearly.

Pan and Kalamity turned towards Trunks and Crescent suddenly. Trunks was still petting Crescent. Her white feathers were shining brightly.

"Pretty girl," he told the dragon with a soft smile.

In a matter of a few seconds, Pan and Kalamity were over by them. Kalamity was nudging Crescent away as Pan grabbed Trunks' arm.

Goku nearly choked on his laughter. Pan and Kalamity were something else. He couldn't believe how jealous they got over something so silly!

"I'm hungry," Pan told Trunks with a pout.

Trunks seemed confused before he let out a laugh. "Alright," he nodded. "Come on, let's get something to eat.

Goku chuckled and shook his head as he watched the pair walk off. Goten walked over to Bulla and smiled at her brightly. He helped her up, his arm supporting her as they walked back to the castle as well.

Goku turned and watched the four dragons play together with a soft smile. Years ago, when he met Shenron for the first time as a teenager, he never would have thought he'd love to see the dragon race reborn.

"Goku-Sa."

"Chi," he smiled as he turned around to see his wife. It had been years since he had returned back to her side, and sometimes it still didn't seem real. She was still just as beautiful as was back then.

"I was about to go visit earth. Would you like to come?" She asked.

"I'd love to," he nodded as he took her hand.

"We loved with a love that was more than love."

-Edgar Allen Poe